Process of extinguishing fires.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTCE.

MAX BRESLAUEB, OI E CHARLOTTENBURG, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO THE FIPIM OFMINI- MAX CONSOLIDATED LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, AND NEURUPPIN, GER-latcnted Apr. 27, 1911.

MANY.

PROCESS OF EXTINGUISHING FIRES.

990,521. Specification of Letters Patent.

No Drawing.

Application filed July 26, 1907. Serial No. 385,665.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAX BRESLAUER, a

doctor of philosophy and a subject of the German Emperor, a resident of29 Kleiststrasse, in the city of Charlottenburg, near Berlin, Kingdom ofPrussia, and German Empire, have invented a certain new and usefulProcess for Extinguishing Fires, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention has reference to means for extinguishing fires, andconflagrations, caused by burning easily volatile, and easilyinflammable hydrocarbons, such as benzin, petroleum, kerosene oil, oilof turpentine, and the like, as Well as by mineral and vegetable oils,animal fats and the like, and it is intended to avoid the difficulties,heretofore experienced in the attempts to quench such fires by trying tocover them with heaps of sand, earth or the like, or by treating theseat of the fire with non-inflammable gases of high specific gravity,such as carbonic acid, sulfur di-oxid or the like, which gases had to bedelivered from containers wherein they were kept under high pressure,and which had to be placed at a great distance from the seat of thefire, in order to avoid bursting and exploding of the said container bythe expansion, due to the influence of heat.

According to my invention, I make use of a solution of any of thehalogens in a suitable solvent, such as chloroform, tetra-chlorid ofcarbon (C01,), or carbon bi-sulfid (C9,)

Of these solvents tetra-chlorid of carbon has already been suggested asa solvent for carbonic acid gas in a fire extinguishing compound. Thehalogens have the property of cutting oil the access of air to the seatof the fire on account of their high specific gravity, and of beingnon-inflammable them-- selves, while the solvents, referred to, are

either non-inflammable, or are converted into sulfur di-oxid, andcarbonic acid. both of which agents are very efficient fireextinguishino means. ()f the halogens, I prefer to empl oy bromin, andiodin. The extinguishing agents may be poured directly into the burningliquid, so as to become mixed therewith. 'lhe decomposition of thesolvent in the manner referred to, and the liberation of vapors of thehalogen, caused by the heat of the fire, produce a layer ofnon-inflammable gases of high specific gravity on top of the burningmass, whereby the access of air is cut ofi' and the fire extinguished.

As a solvent for the halogens, any of the chlorin -substitutedhydrocarbons may be used. The halogens may also be used alone withoutany solvent whatever.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the l nitedStates is 1. The process of extinguishing fires from 'bu'rningibenzin,kerosene oil, petroleum and other easily inflammable liquids consistingin adding free uncoinbined bromin to said burning liquids, substantiallyas herein described.

52. The herein described process of extinguishing fires which consistsin treating the burning substances with a solution of free uncombinedhalogen elements in halogen substituted hydrocarbons.

3. The herein described process of extinguishing fires which consists intreating the burning substances with a solution of free uncombiuedbrominin a suitable solvent.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 12th day of July1907. in the pres ice of two sul'iscribing witnesses.

MAX BRESLAUER.

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Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I), C.

